Thomson

It’s a heck of a way to run a pre-election campaign. On the eve of an expected election, politicians usually spend their time playing up good news, downplaying the bad, shaking hands and kissing babies.

Saskatoon awarded Lingerie Football League franchise

Members of the Miami Caliente (Blue) and the Chicago Bliss high-five following the Bliss victory in the opening game of the Lingerie Football League (LFL) at the Sears Centre Arena September 4, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The LFL is a female football league with ten teams that compete in seven-on-seven full-contact American football, with players dressed in sports bras and short shorts.

Photograph by: Scott Olson
, Getty Images

SASKATOON — Saskatoon's Lingerie Football League (LFL) franchise is official, with Credit Union Centre (CUC) management saying the market will determine if the controversial league survives long-term.

"Ultimately, the market will determine if there's a place for this kind of entertainment," said Scott Ford, director of marketing and events for CUC, the building where LFL games will be played.

"If people buy tickets, great. If people don't want to come because they think it's offensive — they have that option as well."

The sport spectacle in which scantily clad women play a seven-on-seven version of tackle football enters into a one-season rental agreement with CUC to play home games Sept. 1 and Oct. 6, along with a potential playoff date depending how the Saskatoon team fares. The league will try to recoup rental costs via ticket and merchandise sales.

"We're at no risk to lose money on this," Ford said. "We're going to make money no matter what."

The franchise is the second to set up shop in Saskatchewan. It was announced last week that the U.S.-based league awarded a team to Regina as part of its Canadian expansion, with the Brandt Centre serving as the team's home. The Saskatoon team was officially announced in a news release Tuesday morning. Saskatoon will play a four game schedule and be in a Western Canadian division with Abbotsford, B.C., and Regina. The Eastern Division will include Toronto, which played in the league last year, and two yet-to-be-named franchises.

The LFL has been criticized as a gimmick that demeans female athletes. A number of local female tackle football players have questioned safety issues because of the lack of equipment worn.

The league is seeking input on the Saskatoon team name via email at LFLinSaskatoon@LFLUS.com.

Members of the Miami Caliente (Blue) and the Chicago Bliss high-five following the Bliss victory in the opening game of the Lingerie Football League (LFL) at the Sears Centre Arena September 4, 2009 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The LFL is a female football league with ten teams that compete in seven-on-seven full-contact American football, with players dressed in sports bras and short shorts.